As the incidence of child abuse and neglect in the United States increases, there is a pressing need to identify the predictors of maternal role sufficiency. A necessary first step is to identify prenatal variables that predict the less extreme forms of insufficiency in maternal behavior, such as insensitivity to infant cues. Using this knowledge as a base, research may then progress to the identification of the predictors of extremes in behavior along the continuum of maternal role sufficiency. The purpose of the proposed study is to identify the relative impact of selected prenatal variables upon postnatal maternal role sufficiency at 4-6 weeks after birth. The Millor theoretical framework for maternal role sufficiency was used as the basis for selecting study variables. The study sample will consist of expectant women who register for prenatal care at the Fairfax County (Virginia) Health Department. Data will be collected at two times. Time 1 (second half of pregnancy) will consist of an interview and completion of questionnaires during a clinic visit. The interview schedule is composed of open-ended questions from the Maternal Childhood Nurture Subscale and an adaptation of the Ways of Handling Irritating Behaviors Scale. The questionnaires are the Personal Resource Questionnaire-Part 2, the Knowledge of Infant Development Inventory, and the Maternal-Fetal Atttachment Scale. Time 2 (4-6 weeks after birth) consists of a home visit in which data will be collected by means of observation of maternal- infant interactions and a self-report of the subject's perception of her mothering. The instruments used will be the Nursing Child Assessment Feeding and Teaching Scales and the Postpartum Self- Evaluation Questionnaire. Correlation and regression analysis will be used to examine the relative impact of the prenatal variables upon postnatal maternal role sufficiency. Implications for practice, education and research will be derived from the findings so that nursing may move closer to preventing the extreme forms of postnatal maternal role insufficiency before they begin.